It can be a little confusing, the park that it, because it is actually part of a much larger…read moreconservation park. As such, I would suggest that it is probably the park that is located in the Gully, and it probably ends at the second falls, not that there is any indicated as to where this park ends and Cleland begins. Mind you, this park, or at least the gully, certainly doesn't feel like your typical national park, in that the trees here make it feel much more like England. On the other hand, this place is the best place to start your trek up to the top of Mount Lofty, probably because there is a car park here. On the other hand, there isn't a kiosk, just a fancy restaurant.

Like many others, what struck me about Waterfall Gully is its proximity to the Adelaide CBD. I'd…read morespent years in Adelaide before ever coming here, and I was surprised at how close a natural treasure like this could be situated so close to the hustle and bustle of the city without any overlap. This is one of the reasons I hold Adelaide in such high regard, as you only have to travel ten minutes from the city to find yourself in an oasis such as this. The waterfall is grand and magnificent, and a short walk up to the top will give you a a breathtaking view of the flora (and the carpark) below. However, for the greatest view, one must traverse the walking trail all the way to Mount Lofty. It's no easy feat, and I've experienced my fair share of wanting to turn back. Though it starts off quite pleasant, the climb soon becomes steep and relentless, and simply grounding yourself on the rocky path is a challenge. However, the reward once reaching Mount Lofty is worth it, and you can enjoy a coffee or lunch at the cafe before making your way back down. The scenery on the drive in and out of Waterfall Gully is also picturesque, with age old architecture and rolling hills in the background. I even spotted some deer once on the drive out! Keep your eyes peeled.

Starting in Mylor (look for the netball & tennis court sign) parklands, on the corner of Stock Road…read moreand Strathalbyn Road, we decided to begin our hike. It is a walk that connects Mylor and Aldgate with a round trip of roughly 14kms (4hours) according to Walking SA. However, ours was 16kms give or take due to us getting lost! I must say this is the best time of the year to do this walk, because all the creeks are flowing, it is super lush and green and you will see native floras in bloom and plenty of mushrooms. They are all inedible of course, so please refrain from picking them. This trail is a few years old now, but it is very well maintained with signage throughout. The signage are small, so, don't just rely on yourself to spot them. We decided to start from Mylor parklands, but you can start from Aldgate Valley Reserve on Shanks Road. This lovely trail passes through the Valley of the Bandicoots and trail markers has a bandicoot on the logo. It is mostly serene and quiet except for the calls of local birds and children playing in private properties. Some locals to keep your eye out for are Southern Brown Bandicoots, kangaroos, possums, echidnas and koalas. I would recommend stopping for a coffee or breakfast / brunch like we did before making the return trip. It gives you a proper rest stop with amenities and facilities. There are no toilet facilities on the trail, however, they are available at both ends. This half day trail is suitable for all ages. We found it profoundly satisfying to walk through gorgeous bushland, listen to native birds and the sound of free flowing creeks. It is a very sensitive and unique area, so please only leave footprints behind and nothing else.

1 koala, 2 koalas, 3 koalas more!…read more As everyone has mentioned Adelaide is so incredibly lucky to have a conservation park like this only 20 minutes from the CBD where you can spot native wildlife, waterfalls, climb cliffs or just walk through bushland. There are a variety of different trails, some more challenging than Mt Lofty and others suitable for a casual "walk off our BBQ picnic lunch" stroll. You very rarely come across joggers zooming past you from the opposite direction or the chatty mothers groups power walking through the area and as a result it is more likely that you will see a koala or 2 and really feel like you are immersed in the outback. Key tips I have learnt from my adventures? There are 2 car parks: The first one you come across is for those who don't mind walking in and don't want to pay for parking. The second is for the lazybones and costs to park in. BBQ Picnics are popular on weekends: Get in early if it's a nice day and you want to secure a good spot (park at the first car park for picnic areas) Hikes come in 3 different levels: - First and Second falls (pfft easy) - Third Falls (there will be huffing and puffing and you will need time) - Note the signage for all of the walks is good but sometimes can get confusing if you're not sure which car park you're in or whether you're on the Heysen trail. You can't get lost though so no need for 2 way radios or anything. Enjoy the adventure and take the whole family if your little darlings are starting to drive you up the wall.

My husband and I stumbled onto this park. We wanted to do a little hiking and hope to see kangaroos…read more and koalas . We previously went to the Cleland Park, so we wanted to see these Aussie critters in their natural habitat. We started on the easiest path and found the stairs up to Giants cave and it's a shortcut to the higher hiking trails without having to kill ourselves on the hard-steep trails. It was about ~134 steps and then some paths up a bit higher but we were rewarded with seeing a wonderful waterfall, echidna, koala and one kangaroo. Parts of the hike was a bit steep, and the hike down was a bit long but if we had to do it going up, we'd likely complain the whole way . We both agree, it was a great day. We spent about 2 hours and got some blisters and sore calfs to show for it! Highly recommended!!!

I feel as though this is my lookout, just because I often hike up here and I discovered a trail…read moreleading to its splendor by pure chance. I often hike or run up the intense bush land trail, and sometimes sit on the swings and chill. The lookout itself it easily accessible by both foot and wheels, and exhibits wondrous views of Adelaide, entirely. Much like Windy Point it's a special sort of height, and actually better than its Windy sibling for when enjoying picnics and barbeques thanks to the green grass overlooking the skies. Unfortunately (for hopeless romantics?) the lookout gates do eventually close at around midnight. Therefore if you have driven, your trip might be short lived, or else the security guard driving will point his torch in your direction. Ha. Nevertheless I like it here, especially when on my lonesome. A perfect height for personal time, reflection and meditation. Carrick Hill Royal house is also (near) by the lookout, if historical sight seeing is what you desire.

This is such a great place. With a playground, skate park AND beautiful bike/hiking tracks through…read morethe local bush land, this really is a pretty place. While it isn't the biggest playground, they certainly have designed it with a wide range of age groups in mind. There's a mix of rubber ground and bark chip ground with toilets right in the middle of the skating area and the playground area. I spoke to a local who said the skate park is great (I've been out of the skating scene for too long to know hehehe). There were a couple of broken street lights in the car park but he assured me that the park gets maintained and looked after well, and he was surprised to see the damage himself. Pack your family up, put the bikes in the car and head over here. It would be a lovely Sunday outing. This is definitely one to check out. It's such a pretty place and while there's more construction happening at the moment (looks like an extension to the playground) this really is a happy blend of playground and nature with plaques along the way with information about the wildlife in that area. *I didn't see a drink fountain or BBQ* *Dogs allowed...under effective control of course* *Stay tuned to this post, I want to check the tracks out more myself! :-) See you there!*

Minkarra Park is a great place to take the kids on school holidays when you just need to get out of…read morethe house. It has exercise equipment, large skate park, hiking trails, fenced dog park and playground with toilets. Whilst I mainly visited for the playground with friends, I was disappointed that it does not cater for crawlers or children under 2 very well. Some of the equipment was too high/difficult for them to climb and they spent the majority of the time on the rubber ground. There was also no toddler swing, so if your kids like swings as much as mine then it's not the place to go. That being said it s well kept and tidy, but probably suited more to 3/4yo and up.

Great spot to check out views of Adelaide. Great spot for pics. Good for tourists. There's a nice…read moregift shop where I bought some stuff, but beware this gift shop is a little bit overpriced and you will find cheaper souvenir shops in Australia elsewhere. The stuffed animals are especially overpriced.

Start at the top or at the bottom and work your way in the opposite direction, then rinse and…read morerepeat. This is one of my favourite walks, it's probably a 17%+ incline in places and gets your heart rate up in no time. Up and back is just over 7.5kms and takes a little over and hour at a good pace. The track is mostly sealed and if not sealed,miss well graded and easy to walk on. Early morning is the best (quietest) time I've found and it's also when the kangaroos are out and about on the track. If you don't mind a few crowds and slow walkers, head there on the weekend. Whenever you go, there's a cafe at the top and bottom which make the perfect places to stop and recover before heading back.

Horsnell gully track is quite rough, blackberry bushes scape at you and you can lose your way quite…read moreeasily. The river bed is steep and tough especially at the 500 metres. The walk back down is nice, along the Heysen Trail fire track mostly. Be prepared for approximately 2.5 hour hike, with rock climbing! Not really suitable in winter if flowing. Bring water, jeans, sturdy shoes and a phone for great veiws!

I believe this is actually Adelaide's oldest National Park, and it certainly does show it. In fact,…read moreas a kid I thought that this was the fun one because there were lots of things to see and do in the park, ignoring the fact that Cleland has a wildlife reserve. In fact, the old governor's mansion is located here, as well as lots of picnic areas, and a train line running through the middle. Actually, there was a time when you could catch the train through the park, and get off at a couple of stations in the middle, though these have since closed down. Still, it's a pretty cool park, and I would like to go back so as to explore it more.

I'm disappointed with myself that I have lived so close to this gorgeous park and never visited…read more It's shameful really. This place is amazing, definitely a great way to spend a day with the family. We took advantage of one of the many picnic area to enjoy our pre-packed lunch. There is a little kiosk there, or at least there was today as being Father's Day I am sure they were expecting a crowd. We have a baby so we really appreciated the abundance of shade and grassy areas for bubs to get her crawl on. There is an awesome adventure playground which our child is far too young for but would definitely capture the interest of a range of ages of children. There are a MILLION tennis courts! I'm actually not sure why so many are needed but if you are looking for a tennis court you'll find one or 20 here. We strolled through the state flora nursery at did a tour of the old government house. I'm a bit of a history nerd and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I can't wait to return to attempt some of the many walking/cycling trails. This place is awesome.